We Are Not Sure If We Are Amused

The Martian Royal Chronicler, Martin Berman-Gorvine, just told me that Seven Against Mars, his account of the exciting and tragic events preceding my accession to the throne, has been nominated for next year’s Prometheus Award for Best Novel. These awards are presented at the annual World Science Fiction Convention by the Libertarian Futurist Society for "outstanding science fiction or fantasy (broadly defined) whose plots, themes, characters and/or specific issues reflect the value of personal freedom and human rights, or which seriously dramatize or satirically critique tyranny or abuses of power--especially unchecked government power."

We Have Lost One of the Greats

One of the last survivors of the Golden Age of science fiction, Fred Pohl, has passed away at the age of 93, The New York Times reports. Pohl and his Futurian peers, including Isaac Asimov, left a wondrous heritage for those of us who value science fiction and its potential for both sharp social commentary and sheer fun. He will be sorely missed.